2 dead in shooting attack in Ottawa

Ex-convict killed after shooting soldier at memorial

Associated Press

Published 10:37 pm, Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team responds to a reported shooting at Parliament building in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: AJW201 less

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team responds to a reported shooting at Parliament building in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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FILE In this March 25, 2011 file photo, Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers carries the mace from the House of Commons at the conclusion of the session in Ottawa. Two sources told The Canadian Press that Vickers shot the assailant inside the Hall of Honour, the main entrance to the Centre Block beneath the Peace Tower on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. Officials have not confirmed that Vickers fired at the suspect, but one MP credited Vickers on Twitter with saving lives. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: CPT137 less

FILE In this March 25, 2011 file photo, Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers carries the mace from the House of Commons at the conclusion of the session in Ottawa. Two sources told The Canadian Press that Vickers ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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In this photo provided by Conservative MP Nina Grewal, members of Parliament barricade themselves in a meeting room on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, after shots were fired in the building. A gunman with a scarf over his face shot to death a Canadian soldier standing guard at the nation's war memorial Wednesday, then stormed Parliament in a hail of gunfire before he was killed by the usually ceremonial sergeant-at-arms, authorities and witnesses said. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nina Grewal) ORG XMIT: CPT240 less

In this photo provided by Conservative MP Nina Grewal, members of Parliament barricade themselves in a meeting room on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, after shots were fired in the ... more

Photo: Nina Grewal

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Police converge on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed away from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location, according to officials. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: AJW211 less

Police converge on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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Police and paramedics tend to a soldier shot at the National Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. The soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed away from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location, according to officials. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: AJW230 less

Police and paramedics tend to a soldier shot at the National Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. The soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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Police surround Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed away from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location, according to officials. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Justin Tang) ORG XMIT: JDT108 less

Police surround Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of ... more

Photo: Justin Tang

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This photo provided by the Prime Minister's office shows the head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. (AP Photo/Canada Prime Minister Office) ORG XMIT: OTT501 less

This photo provided by the Prime Minister's office shows the head of RCMP Bob Paulson briefs Canadian prime Minister Stephen Harper on the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A ... more

Photo: Prime Minister of Canada's office

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A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team walks past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Emergency responders are still on the scene as paramedics performed CPR on the soldier before he was taken away by ambulance. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: AJW208 less

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team walks past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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Paramedics and police pull a victim away from the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed away from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location, according to officials. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: AJW203 less

Paramedics and police pull a victim away from the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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Police continue to patrol a downtown street near the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. A gunman shot and killed a soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Wednesday before being shot dead in Parliament Hill's Center Block. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick_) ORG XMIT: OTTK101 less

Police continue to patrol a downtown street near the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. A gunman shot and killed a soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on ... more

Photo: Sean Kilpatrick

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A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team walks past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Emergency responders are still on the scene as paramedics performed CPR on the soldier before he was taken away by ambulance. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld) ORG XMIT: AJW202 less

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police intervention team walks past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman ... more

Photo: Adrian Wyld

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Tomb guards walks at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. The military increased security Wednesday at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery after fatal shootings at a Canadian war memorial and Parliament, even though the FBI and the Homeland Security Department said there was no specific threat against the U.S. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ORG XMIT: DCMC102 less

Tomb guards walks at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. The military increased security Wednesday at the Tomb of the Unknowns at ... more

Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta

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An armed RCMP officer stands guard at 24 Sussex Dr., the official residence of the Prime Minister, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown gunman and there have been reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Justin Tang) ORG XMIT: JDT102 less

An armed RCMP officer stands guard at 24 Sussex Dr., the official residence of the Prime Minister, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial has been shot by an unknown ... more

Photo: Justin Tang

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An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was rushed away from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location, according to officials. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick) ORG XMIT: SKP201 less

An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014. A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people ... more

Photo: Sean Kilpatrick

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2 dead in shooting attack in Ottawa

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Ottawa, Ontario

A masked gunman killed a soldier standing guard at Canada's war memorial Wednesday, then stormed Parliament in an attack that was stopped cold when he was shot to death by the ceremonial sergeant-at-arms. Canada's prime minister called it the country's second terrorist attack in three days.

"We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated," Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed in an address to the nation.

Unfolding just before 10 a.m., while lawmakers were meeting in caucus rooms, the assault rocked Parliament over and over with the boom of gunfire, led MPs to barricade doors with chairs and sent people streaming from the building in fear. Harper was addressing a caucus when the attack began outside the door, but he safely escaped.

Investigators offered little information about the gunman, identified as 32-year-old petty criminal Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. But Harper said: "In the days to come we will learn about the terrorist and any accomplices he may have had."

Canada was already on alert at the time because of a deadly hit-and-run assault Monday against two Canadian soldiers by a man Harper described as an "ISIL-inspired terrorist." ISIL, or Islamic State, has called for reprisals against Canada and other Western countries that have joined the U.S.-led air campaign against the extremist group in Iraq and Syria.

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Witnesses said the soldier posted at the National War Memorial, identified as Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, was gunned down at point-blank range by a man carrying a rifle and dressed all in black, his face half-covered with a scarf. The gunman appeared to raise his arms in triumph, then entered Parliament, a few hundred yards away, where dozens of shots soon rang out, according to witnesses.

People fled the complex by scrambling down scaffolding erected for renovations, while others took cover inside as police with rifles and body armor took up positions outside and cordoned off the normally bustling streets around Parliament.

On Twitter, Canada's justice minister and other government officials credited 58-year-old sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers with shooting the attacker just outside the MPs' caucus rooms. Vickers serves a largely ceremonial role at the House of Commons, carrying a scepter and wearing rich green robes, white gloves and a tall imperial hat.

At least three people were treated for minor injuries.

In Washington, President Barack Obama condemned the shootings as "outrageous" and said: "We have to remain vigilant." The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa was locked down as a precaution, and security was tightened at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington.

Harper vowed that the attacks will "lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts" to keep the country safe and work with Canada's allies to fight terrorists.

Police said in the initial hours that as many as two other gunmen may have taken part in the attacks. But by late in the evening, the cordon around Parliament was lifted and police said there was no longer any threat to the public in the area.

Court records that appear to be the gunman's show that he had a long rap sheet, with a string of convictions for assault, robbery, drug and weapons offenses, and other crimes.

Tony Zobl said he witnessed the Canadian soldier being gunned down from his fourth-floor window directly above the National War Memorial, a 70-foot, arched granite cenotaph, or tomb, with bronze sculptures commemorating World War I.

"I looked out the window and saw a shooter, a man dressed all in black with a kerchief over his nose and mouth and something over his head as well, holding a rifle and shooting an honor guard in front of the cenotaph point-blank, twice," Zobl told the Canadian Press news agency. "The honor guard dropped to the ground, and the shooter kind of raised his arms in triumph holding the rifle."

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. had video of the gunman going to his car alone with his weapon after the shooting at the memorial. The car was later spotted parked in front of Parliament Hill, just down the block.

"I'm safe locked in a office awaiting security," Kyle Seeback, another member of Parliament, tweeted.

"I was just taking off my jacket to go into caucus. I hear this pop, pop, pop. Possibly 10 shots, don't really know. Thought it was dynamite or construction rather than anything else," said John McKay, a member of Parliament.

He said security guards then came rushing down the halls, herding them toward the back of the buildings.

"And then we started talking to another woman and she was apparently inside the library of Parliament, saw the fellow, wearing a hoodie, carrying a gun," McKay said, "and then the implications of this start to sink in."

The attack came two days after a recent convert to Islam killed one Canadian soldier and injured another with his car before being shot to death by police. The killer had been on the radar of federal investigators, who feared he had jihadist ambitions and seized his passport when he tried to travel to Turkey.

Canada had raised its domestic terror threat level from low to medium Tuesday because of what it called "an increase in general chatter from radical Islamist organizations." As recently as Tuesday, Canada sent eight fighter jets to the Mideast to join the battle against Islamic State.